Re: 1955 Caribbean top material
Posted by Leeedy On 2021/7/9 10:55:45
Quote:
Hypalon was a rubberized vinyl that has not been made in decades. It was nearly impossible to find even in the early 1970s. So conjuring some up now in 2021 is definitely, very, very certainly going to take a long, long time. Nobody can just push a button and make Hypalon roll out of a machine. It will be verrrry expensive too... and that's even if SMS or anyone could conjure some of the stuff up.
As someone who once owned a professional trim shop (and I still have my Hypalon sample swatches and piles of convertible fabric books going back to the 1950s). And as THE person who recommended OEM convertible top fabrics for both Mazda RX-7 and Miata I once knew every supplier of convertible tops. I would say that anyone who would offer to make Hypalon (or a replica thereof) is going to take a long, long time... and be very courageous to even consider doing it. So, despite the time involved, at least they offered to do it when most would just flat-out say no. Getting such stuff made is definitely not easy, and can be very, very, very time-consuming. Just a calendaring roller alone could take a year or so to make–IF someone had the money, the technology, the facility and the talent to make one. And then there would be the chemistry involved–which again would not at all be easy or cheap. Making this kind of stuff is nowhere near as easy as making seat fabric.
Furthermore most of the old companies making these fabrics are either gone or no longer making such fabrics. And the old-timers who really knew all of this stuff are mostly dead and gone. So this business in 2021 is nothing like it was even 15 years ago. The convertible and vinyl top business has all but disappeared compared to what it once was in the USA. And remember– they only made a few hundred Caribbean hardtops and convertibles even when new. So these are all things to consider.
In the meantime, the stuff I always used years ago FOR 1956 only as a replica for Hypalon as used on Packard Caribbean hardtops and convertibles–1956 ONLY– would still not be easy to find. But far more in the realm of reality than Hypalon.
I recommend using a special fabric called "Everflex"... which was factory original material used on Rolls Royce Corniche convertibles. I say this for good reasons. Everflex had a somewhat similar grain to Hypalon–NOT exact, but similar. It passes quite well on a Caribbean–especially since 99% of the people looking at these tops (including "expert judges" at shows) have no idea what is and isn't original.
I doubt that even Everflex is still being made–but it was around for a lot longer than Hypalon. However, a good professional automotive trim shop ought to be able to order Everflex fabric for you if any wholesale-distributor still has a bolt laying around. Once you know what to ask for, then you have a better starting place.
Here is a photo of just a few of my convertible top fabric swatches. I have thousands gathered over decades of working in the auto industry. The swatch card here came from an old company that has been out of business since the 1980s.
I am including an additional photo of a sample swatch of actual Hypalon I saved since 1977. This swatch is as it was for the 1956 Caribbean convertible and hardtop.
Also...don't confuse appearance with grain and what a material actually is. A vinyl fabric could look very close in grain, but even if it looked identical, it would merely look that way. Hypalon and vinyl feel different to the touch and vinyls have very different stretch and longevity factors. Looking the same is not being the same.
There are also other fabrics made even today (like tarps and camping gear) that claim to be "Hypalon" due to their construction and chemical makeup... but don't confuse these "Hypalons" with the grained finish white automotive top kind used on 1956 Packard Caribbeans. NOT the same stuff.
Finally... 1955 Caribbean tops were completely different in both appearance and fabric... and were made of woven Orlon.
Both 1955 and 1956 Caribbean convertible tops had color inner faces, despite their exterior differences. As a general rule, the inner face of the Caribbean convertible tops was the color of the center stripe paint unless a custom paint job was specially ordered.
Attach file:
ConvertibleTopFabrics copyWM.jpg (263.57 KB)
HypalonSampleWM.jpeg (290.83 KB)
Fish Eggs wrote:
Am looking for a replica of the Hypalon top material for my 1956 Caribbean hardtop. SMS is taking forever and am loosing patience with them. Is there another supplier for this material? Thank you.
Hypalon was a rubberized vinyl that has not been made in decades. It was nearly impossible to find even in the early 1970s. So conjuring some up now in 2021 is definitely, very, very certainly going to take a long, long time. Nobody can just push a button and make Hypalon roll out of a machine. It will be verrrry expensive too... and that's even if SMS or anyone could conjure some of the stuff up.
As someone who once owned a professional trim shop (and I still have my Hypalon sample swatches and piles of convertible fabric books going back to the 1950s). And as THE person who recommended OEM convertible top fabrics for both Mazda RX-7 and Miata I once knew every supplier of convertible tops. I would say that anyone who would offer to make Hypalon (or a replica thereof) is going to take a long, long time... and be very courageous to even consider doing it. So, despite the time involved, at least they offered to do it when most would just flat-out say no. Getting such stuff made is definitely not easy, and can be very, very, very time-consuming. Just a calendaring roller alone could take a year or so to make–IF someone had the money, the technology, the facility and the talent to make one. And then there would be the chemistry involved–which again would not at all be easy or cheap. Making this kind of stuff is nowhere near as easy as making seat fabric.
Furthermore most of the old companies making these fabrics are either gone or no longer making such fabrics. And the old-timers who really knew all of this stuff are mostly dead and gone. So this business in 2021 is nothing like it was even 15 years ago. The convertible and vinyl top business has all but disappeared compared to what it once was in the USA. And remember– they only made a few hundred Caribbean hardtops and convertibles even when new. So these are all things to consider.
In the meantime, the stuff I always used years ago FOR 1956 only as a replica for Hypalon as used on Packard Caribbean hardtops and convertibles–1956 ONLY– would still not be easy to find. But far more in the realm of reality than Hypalon.
I recommend using a special fabric called "Everflex"... which was factory original material used on Rolls Royce Corniche convertibles. I say this for good reasons. Everflex had a somewhat similar grain to Hypalon–NOT exact, but similar. It passes quite well on a Caribbean–especially since 99% of the people looking at these tops (including "expert judges" at shows) have no idea what is and isn't original.
I doubt that even Everflex is still being made–but it was around for a lot longer than Hypalon. However, a good professional automotive trim shop ought to be able to order Everflex fabric for you if any wholesale-distributor still has a bolt laying around. Once you know what to ask for, then you have a better starting place.
Here is a photo of just a few of my convertible top fabric swatches. I have thousands gathered over decades of working in the auto industry. The swatch card here came from an old company that has been out of business since the 1980s.
I am including an additional photo of a sample swatch of actual Hypalon I saved since 1977. This swatch is as it was for the 1956 Caribbean convertible and hardtop.
Also...don't confuse appearance with grain and what a material actually is. A vinyl fabric could look very close in grain, but even if it looked identical, it would merely look that way. Hypalon and vinyl feel different to the touch and vinyls have very different stretch and longevity factors. Looking the same is not being the same.
There are also other fabrics made even today (like tarps and camping gear) that claim to be "Hypalon" due to their construction and chemical makeup... but don't confuse these "Hypalons" with the grained finish white automotive top kind used on 1956 Packard Caribbeans. NOT the same stuff.
Finally... 1955 Caribbean tops were completely different in both appearance and fabric... and were made of woven Orlon.
Both 1955 and 1956 Caribbean convertible tops had color inner faces, despite their exterior differences. As a general rule, the inner face of the Caribbean convertible tops was the color of the center stripe paint unless a custom paint job was specially ordered.
Attach file:
ConvertibleTopFabrics copyWM.jpg (263.57 KB)
HypalonSampleWM.jpeg (290.83 KB)
This Post was from: https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?post_id=234972